1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to entry way closure assemblies and, more particularly, to such an assembly which includes a door, door frame, handle and closing mechanism and which has an improved type of door handle hub lock.
2. Prior Art
Security doors and the like generally include a variety of devices which operate to hold a security door shut in a frame and to automatically or selectively lock the door in the closed position. Certain security doors employ mechanisms to "freeze" the door handle against rotation in order to double lock the door in the closed position. One improved type of security door which employs a door handle lock is disclosed particularly in co-pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 528,873, filed Sept. 1, 1983, of which Arthur Geringer, et al., is the inventor, said application being entitled "Locking and Monitoring Assembly" and the assignee of which is the assignee of the present application. That door employs a mechanism which has a plate secured around the handle hub within the door, and a slide bolt in the door, which bolt is levered into and out of locking position in a recess in the hub plate. Difficulties sometimes arise with that mechanism when the door handle is not initially in the full resting position and thus is not fully aligned to easily receive the slide bolt to lock the handle. In such a circumstance, the bolt tightly binds against the periphery of the plate and cannot seat in the recess so that the door handle is jammed, cannot be turned easily and remains unlocked, whether or not that fact is known, requiring the bolt movement activator to be backed off and the handle returned to full rest position before proper locking can be effected.
A proposed remedy to overcome this problem has been to provide a lost-motion biasing assembly as is disclosed in applicants' co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 06/730,569, filed 5/06/85 and entitled "Improved Entry Closure Assembly". This invention is applicable where the direction of movement of bolt is in the same direction as the biasing means. However, this solution would not be applicable in lock assemblies where movement of the bolt is in a different direction from the biasing means. Accordingly, there is a need for a new and improved entry way door closure assembly which can provide easy and positive door handle hub locking in a security door and the like, and which permits easy turning of the handle to the full rest position if it is misaligned with the lock bolt, so as to facilitate positive locking of the handle even when movement of the locking means and actuator are in reverse directions. The user should need to move the handle only slightly to verify that the handle is locked in place or is unlocked.